Highway infrastructure is critical to our economy and a fantastic feat of engineering. Once in place, regular inspection and maintenance keep our roads and bridges safe and reliable. While some wear and tear is expected, when highways are chronically overused and under-repaired, there’s cause for concern. In extreme cases, bridges can even collapse, which is precisely what happened to the Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River in 2007. Its demise was primarily blamed on a design failure, but the impact of heavy vehicles certainly played a role – the 1967 bridge wasn’t built to carry trucks that weigh as much as they do today. The Heavy Highway Use Tax (HVUT) is an essential source of funding for the Highway Trust Fund, and its proceeds help ensure proper maintenance and more efficient routing and prevent disasters such as this from occurring. However, to file Form 2290 and pay the HVUT, you must first calculate an accurate taxable weight.
Using A Taxable Weight Calculation To Determine Your Taxes
The most straightforward and common way to find the gross vehicle weight of taxable vehicles is to look for the gross vehicle weight on your registration. (Think about the maximum you can legally weigh on a scale). In the case of an apportioned plate with different registered weights in other states, you must use the most significant weight.
If you can’t find your vehicle’s taxable gross weight in your documentation, you can also calculate it manually. To make a taxable weight calculation, add these three numbers together:
- The actual unloaded weight of the vehicle (when it’s fully equipped for service)
- The actual unloaded weight of any trailers or semi-trailers typically used with the vehicle (that are fully equipped for service)
- The weight of the maximum load typically carried by the truck and its trailers/semi-trailers.
Once you’ve calculated a taxable weight, you can use this number to determine your annual taxes. If the gross taxable weight is less than 55,000 lbs, your taxes will be $0. For vehicles that weigh between 55,000 and 75,000 pounds, the HVUT is $100 plus $22 for every 1,000 pounds over 55,000 pounds. And if your vehicle weighs over 75,000 lbs, the HVUT will max out at $550 per year.
Why An Accurate Weight Calculation Matters
If you are the truck owner, what matters is getting paperwork done quickly so you can get back to operating and making money. Taking a number and waiting in line at a vehicle registration office for hours may be necessary, but it is an unproductive time for the vehicle owner. Using the correct taxable weight calculation on your Form 2290 will help you avoid doing this twice.
You must register your vehicle with the correct weight and not the actual weight of the tractor (roughly 35,000 lbs) with no trailer or load.
A common mistake is choosing the lowest weight category (55,000 kg) and thinking only about the power unit or tractor. Think more about the maximum you can legally weigh on a scale. If you file with a weight lower than what your vehicle registration authority (state DMV, IRP office, etc.) determines to be correct, that authority will typically decline your registration or renewal until your Form 2290 has been corrected. If you filed your HVUT return with a weight that is too low, it can be fixed by filing a weight increase amendment, but again, no one wants to go to the registration office more than once. Oftentimes it’s better to enlist the help of 2290 e-filing services if unsure.
Who’s Exempt From Paying HVUT
Most vehicles weighing over 55,000 pounds will have to pay the HVUT. However, there are a few exceptions. A handful of groups are automatically exempt from paying the HVUT, including:
- Federal, State, and local governments, including the District of Columbia
- The American Red Cross
- Nonprofit volunteer fire departments, ambulance associations, and rescue squads
- Native American tribal governments (for vehicles used in essential tribal government functions)
- Mass transportation authorities
In addition, several vehicles are exempt as well:
- Commercial vehicles traveling fewer than 5,000 miles annually
- Agriculture vehicles travel fewer than 7,500 miles annually
- Vehicles not considered highway motor vehicles (such as mobile machinery for non-transportation functions, vehicles specifically designed for off-highway transportation, and non-transportation trailers and semi-trailers)
- Qualified blood collector vehicles used by qualified blood collector organizations
Why Does The HVUT Exist?
So, we know who has to pay the HVUT and how much they have to pay, but why do they have to pay? The answer is straightforward. While a five-axle tractor-trailer with a taxable weight calculation at the federal limit of 80,000 pounds weighs the same as approximately 20 automobiles, the impact of that truck on the infrastructure is exponentially more significant. A five-axle tractor-trailer weighing the maximum legal amount causes as much damage to the pavement as at least 9,600 automobiles. Freight trucks have to contribute more taxes than lighter vehicles since they cause more damage to highways.
Where Does Revenue From The HVUT Go?
Revenue from the HVUT goes towards the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which finances most federal spending for highways and mass transit through fuel, tire, and, in our case, truck taxes. The federal government uses some of the HTF, but a great deal of the HTF is returned to the states for various state highway programs. But, regardless of whether the state or federal government ends up with the money, it’ll be used to fund an array of transportation investments, including:
- Highway improvements (such as land acquisition and other right-of-way costs, preliminary and construction engineering, construction and reconstruction, resurfacing, and restoration costs of roadways and bridges)
- Highway and bridge maintenance activities
- Highway law enforcement
- Safety programs (such as driver education and training, vehicle inspection programs, and enforcement of vehicle size and weight limits)
- Congestion relief projects
- Debt service
- Administrative costs (such as research and engineering)
Importance of HTF Projects
The aim of HTF projects isn’t just to make our highways more attractive; these projects have a massive impact on our day-to-day lives; they improve our driving experience, protect the environment, and even prevent deadly disasters. To start, when roads and bridges begin to decline, traffic increases. This not only creates massive headaches for drivers but also causes the US economy to suffer productivity losses, increases fuel use, and, consequently, increases pollution. Plus, failing highway infrastructure can raise vehicle maintenance costs, pose a safety risk to drivers, and perhaps increase emergency response times.
While no one enjoys paying taxes, truckers’ contributions to the HTF are crucial. Vehicles with a taxable weight calculation of more than 55,000 lbs give the HTF billions annually; they’re essential to these critical infrastructure improvements.
